Churchill & Roosevelt Bench

The Allies bench sculpture in Hampstead, London, features bronze figures of Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt with an empty space between them for visitors. Created by self-taught artist Lawrence Holofcener, the original was unveiled on Bond Street by Princess Margaret on May 2, 1995, marking 50 years of post-WWII peace. The sculpture depicts Roosevelt seated without his wheelchair, reflecting his public wish to appear among equals.

London · from the walk “Hampstead Uncovered: Village Secrets & Heath Legends” · audio ~4 min · Generated

New End Square, Hampstead, London NW3 1LT

Why is Franklin D. Roosevelt depicted sitting without a wheelchair in the Allies sculpture?

Take a look at this bench. Two bronze figures, casually seated, chatting away as if they've got all the time in the world. On one side, Winston Church-ill, leaning forward with his trademark cigar. On the other, Franklin D. Roo-suh-velt, sitting back, relaxed. And right there between them... an empty space. That space is for You.......... This sculpture is called "Allies," and it was created by the American-British artist Lawrence ho-Lof-ceh-ner, who had intimacy, not grandeur, in mind when he designed it. The original sits on Bond Street in central London, where it was paid for by the Bond Street Association and unveiled by Princess mar-Gar-et on the second of May, nineteen ninety-five, to mark fifty years of peace after World War Two. What you see here in Hamp-stead is one of several copies ho-Lof-ceh-ner later created.......... But here's what makes this sculpture truly remarkable. Look closely at Roosevelt. He's shown sitting on this bench as if he had just wandered over and sat down. In truth, he was paralyzed due to polio and, while he could walk using leg braces and walking sticks, he more often moved around in a wheelchair. Although his disability was well known, there are very few photographs of him in a wheelchair, because he Refused to be seen in public in one. Roosevelt had a so-called "gentleman's agreement" with the press that they would not photograph him in his wheelchair. So this bench... is Roosevelt exactly as he wanted to be seen. Just a man, sitting among equals.......... And the sculptor himself? What a life! Ho-Lof-ceh-ner was a sculptor, poet, lyricist, playwright, novelist, actor And director. In nineteen sixty-four, he played Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway, first with Carol Chan-ning, then Ginger Rog-ers. He came late to sculpture and was entirely self-taught, holding his first exhibition in nineteen seventy-nine. And his daughter? None other than Nicole ho-Lof-ceh-ner, the acclaimed indie filmmaker who received an Academy Award nomination for the screenplay of "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

...... Now, one more story. Ho-Lof-ceh-ner never made a maquette before sculpting the original... his "impetuous" nature made him too impatient for models. When he was later asked to create a quarter-size replica, he had a problem... the original was on Bond Street and he had no model. So he and his wife Julia drove from the Isle of Wight with a table, tools, clay, and a little bench, set it all up Right IN Front of the life-size sculpture, and got to work. Passers-by asked him questions. "Are you an art student?" He'd reply, "Do I look like a student?" "Have you got the artist's permission?" "The artist is Dead." He told them all this... while being the artist very much alive.......... So go ahead. Take a seat between two of the twentieth century's most powerful leaders. You're sitting in the space where the "special relationship" lives... right here in Hamp-stead.

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